Furnace "cover"

[DaveT]

The furnace in my 2016 Jayco is under the jackknife sofa. Surrounding the furnace, with holes such that the exhaust and ducts run through, is a box that I can only describe as being made out of balsa wood. It looks like, and probably is, the most flammable item in the whole trailer, and it's an inch from the furnace on all sides but the bottom.

In any case, has anyone ever discarded such a cover? If that paper thin wood box an inch from the furnace is not a fire hazard, I cannot imagine the underside of the sofa 8 inches away would be.


I assume it's there to ensure that intake airflow is maintained. I'd like to replace the sofa with a bench. If I do so I will ensure that the furnace intake(s) is protected.


Thoughts welcomed.

D

[JFlightRisk]

The furnace in ours is similar, but it's ducted into the floor. A luan plywood box with one side that has a grate for ventilation. We've never had an issue with it so far, but I've never gotten under there to feel it when it was running. There's a similar box around the water heater too, and that's under our bed. Never really been concerned about them, and there's probably many trailers out there with the same set up.

[RogerR]

My old Trailmanor had one just like that with no problems. During my upgrades I found that the propane refrigerator burner flue was less than an inch from the plywood cabinet. I added automotive insulation just to keep the heat in. If it was a fire hazard there would be a herd of attorneys suing RV makers.